Readly App

[Norfolk Nige]

Has anyone else subscribed to the Readly App being advertised at the moment on this site. I read a lot of magazines each month, as does my wife on a range of subjects and hobbies. We spend a fair amount either on cover price or subscriptions. So I took a look at it on App Store where the purchase price is £9.99 a month. read all the reviews which were very positive and decided to give it a go.
I took out the MotorhomeFun subscription for £7.99 and first month free and have only been using it for a week so far. I have to say I am amazed by it. It’s like Spotify for magazines and newspapers. There are literally thousands on there all with back issues. All the motorhome ones, landy, photography, cooking, gardening, ones I normally get, morning papers. You can set it up on 5 different devices for the one subscription, so both me and Mrs Norfolk have it on iPad and phone. For a family you could have one subscription and you could all have your own profile for your own magazines. It sets up favourites and alerts for new copies.
I really really am impressed With this. I am waiting for the catch. Doesn’t seem to be one yet. All this for £7.99 a month. Saved me a fortune.

 

[Chris]

Has anyone else subscribed to the Readly App being advertised at the moment on this site. I read a lot of magazines each month, as does my wife on a range of subjects and hobbies. We spend a fair amount either on cover price or subscriptions. So I took a look at it on App Store where the purchase price is £9.99 a month. read all the reviews which were very positive and decided to give it a go.
I took out the MotorhomeFun subscription for £7.99 and first month free and have only been using it for a week so far. I have to say I am amazed by it. It’s like Spotify for magazines and newspapers. There are literally thousands on there all with back issues. All the motorhome ones, landy, photography, cooking, gardening, ones I normally get, morning papers. You can set it up on 5 different devices for the one subscription, so both me and Mrs Norfolk have it on iPad and phone. For a family you could have one subscription and you could all have your own profile for your own magazines. It sets up favourites and alerts for new copies.
I really really am impressed With this. I am waiting for the catch. Doesn’t seem to be one yet. All this for £7.99 a month. Saved me a fortune.

Yes I have been subscribing for a few years now.

I don’t think there is a catch

 

[AndyPK]

Me too (after Jim made references to it!)

 

[Soycd]

Sounds good. My only reservation would be that its electronic so you end up looking at a screen for a lot more time? There's a lot of evidence around to suggest that, for example, using a screen (TV, laptop, phone etc) within an hour of going to bed can play havoc with sleeping patterns. On the other hand, think of all the trees you are saving, that can only be a good thing!

 

[The Wino]

Sounds good. My only reservation would be that its electronic so you end up looking at a screen for a lot more time? There's a lot of evidence around to suggest that, for example, using a screen (TV, laptop, phone etc) within an hour of going to bed can play havoc with sleeping patterns. On the other hand, think of all the trees you are saving, that can only be a good thing!

I've not seen any studies that compare sleep patterns after reading on a tablet compared to reading a book. Is it the blue light effect or just that your brain is active?

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[The Wino]

I don't see the adverts but they are offering 2 months free then £7.99 a month is that the same deal?

 

[MattR]

I've not seen any studies that compare sleep patterns after reading on a tablet compared to reading a book. Is it the blue light effect or just that your brain is active?

Blue light stimulates your brain and suppresses the secretion of melatonin so sleep patterns are disrupted. Many devices have blue light filter options but screen users are still more likely to get poorer sleep and there are reports that it could lead to potentially significant health issues (eg cancer, diabetes, obesity).

 

[Mikey RV]

Have been using it for a while now. It’s a great way to read your favourite mags and not have hundreds of mags laying around.

 

[The Wino]

Blue light stimulates your brain and suppresses the secretion of melatonin so sleep patterns are disrupted. Many devices have blue light filter options but screen users are still more likely to get poorer sleep and there are reports that it could lead to potentially significant health issues (eg cancer, diabetes, obesity).

I've seen those reports but none that compare people who are reading on a tablet to reading a book. I think the links to cancer diabetes etc are assuming that reduced sleep dur to blue light has the same effect as people who have reduced sleep due to shift work etc but they also have a different eating pattern and quite likely a different diet etc. I'm not convinced that the blue light effect has really been isolated from other factors.

 

[Downsie]

Thanks for that Norfolk Nige, had been wondering if it was too good to be true. I’ll definitely give it a try now.

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[brynric]

We use it. It’s a great opportunity to try out mags I wouldn’t otherwise buy. And there are some very useful “specials” from time to time.
Thats not as bad as it sounds.

 

[The Wino]

Blue light stimulates your brain and suppresses the secretion of melatonin so sleep patterns are disrupted. Many devices have blue light filter options but screen users are still more likely to get poorer sleep and there are reports that it could lead to potentially significant health issues (eg cancer, diabetes, obesity).

I do have a professional interest as an optometrist for another few weeks a lot of spectacle lens manufacturers sell blue light blocking lenses said to improve sleep reduce the risk of macular degeneration cataracts etc. This is the college of optmetrists advice


Conclusions: We find a lack of high quality evidence to support using BB spectacle lenses for the general population to improve visual performance or sleep quality, alleviate eye fatigue or conserve macular health.

I'm not into being a snake oil salesman!

 

[Davb]

Slightly off the subject, my wife subscribes to https://www.listening-books.org.uk/ this is a charity for providing audiobooks for disabled people. The range of books isn't as big as the likes of Audible, but you can browse what they have before signing up, she pays £20 per year for this.

 

[MattR]

I do have a professional interest as an optometrist for another few weeks a lot of spectacle lens manufacturers sell blue light blocking lenses said to improve sleep reduce the risk of macular degeneration cataracts etc. This is the college of optmetrists advice


Conclusions: We find a lack of high quality evidence to support using BB spectacle lenses for the general population to improve visual performance or sleep quality, alleviate eye fatigue or conserve macular health.

I'm not into being a snake oil salesman!

I do not know about the effectiveness of blue light lenses but I have had success with blue light filters on my pc, phone and tablets after I was routinely kept wide awake while marking onscreen into the evening.

There are debates about the impact of light on sleep but this is a good summary from Harvard (IMHO) https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side

 

[The Wino]

I do not know about the effectiveness of blue light lenses but I have had success with blue light filters on my pc, phone and tablets after I was routinely kept wide awake while marking onscreen into the evening.

There are debates about the impact of light on sleep but this is a good summary from Harvard (IMHO) https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/blue-light-has-a-dark-side

But there are also several views of the effect being overstated a study that did compare reading on a book and iPad found the ipad users took longer to fall asleep but only by 10 minutes. I think it's become a bit of a thing stated as a fact when the evidence isn't really there. The big con in my view is saying that blue blocking lenses affect macular degeneration etc. The amount of blue light from a screen compared to daylight is negligible

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[Gixer]

Used it for years - can't fault it, as for it disturbing sleep, I don't read iPad before sleep as it hurts when you doze off and drop it on your face

 

[Nirvanauk]

I did try it for a while but found it quite time consuming so cancelled.

 

[MattR]

But there are also several views of the effect being overstated a study that did compare reading on a book and iPad found the ipad users took longer to fall asleep but only by 10 minutes. I think it's become a bit of a thing stated as a fact when the evidence isn't really there. The big con in my view is saying that blue blocking lenses affect macular degeneration etc. The amount of blue light from a screen compared to daylight is negligible

This is your area of expertise. I can't comment much beyond the personal experiences that I've had when using devices at night: without the blue light filters or light adjusting apps, I would take much longer to fall asleep and would have poorer quality sleep than with them.

 

[Jim]

I would take much longer to fall asleep and would have poorer quality sleep than with them.

I spend a lot of time bathed in blue light. If I am worried about something, it might take me a whole two minutes to go to sleep, otherwise, it's quicker than that.

 

[Richard n Ann]

My phone has got a red light filter in screen settings, not noticeably different with it on all the time but you see it change when the phone boots up and it comes on.

There's also apps for it if your device hasn't got the feature

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[Soycd]

I've not seen any studies that compare sleep patterns after reading on a tablet compared to reading a book. Is it the blue light effect or just that your brain is active?

I think it's a debate that will go on for some time and a lot of work has been done in this area. Interesting podcast on the BBC, Life Scientific with a guy call Derk-Jan Dijk, a professor of sleep and physiology. The conversation about light and sleep starts at 14:30 mins

The Life Scientific - Derk-Jan Dijk on the importance of sleep - BBC Sounds

How does sleep change as we age? Derk-Jan Dijk talks to Jim Al-Khalili.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[The Wino]

This is your area of expertise. I can't comment much beyond the personal experiences that I've had when using devices at night: without the blue light filters or light adjusting apps, I would take much longer to fall asleep and would have poorer quality sleep than with them.

I think if it works great and you don't really need to know why. But if I was going to recommend something in my professional capacity I think I really need some evidence or say that it might help but theres no proof. Its a bit like tinted lenses for dyslexia .

 

[MattR]

I think if it works great and you don't really need to know why. But if I was going to recommend something in my professional capacity I think I really need some evidence or say that it might help but theres no proof. Its a bit like tinted lenses for dyslexia .

Again, I'm not an expert on eyes etc as you are but screen and lens colours for dyslexia / irlens is something I've worked with for several students and it appears that overlay colours are very personal and valuable to many folk. The dyslexia association and NHS endorse / recognise them but I do not know about proof or otherwise.

 

[Norfolk Nige]

I don't see the adverts but they are offering 2 months free then £7.99 a month is that the same deal?

The adverts are on a pop up that scrolls through on right hand side of the screen. Has practical motorhome on it. One month free then £7.99, no contract.

 

[MattR]

I spend a lot of time bathed in blue light. If I am worried about something, it might take me a whole two minutes to go to sleep, otherwise, it's quicker than that.

It effects different people in different ways but many are impacted negatively. Hence the recommendation to use blue light filter apps etc when using electronic devices at night.

What Is Blue Light and Where Does It Come From?

The sun is the biggest source of blue light. Popular electronics are another source. Learn more about blue light and how it works.

www.webmd.com

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[Norfolk Nige]

Doesn’t appear to stop me dropping off to sleep ok. At night. Perhaps its the knowledge I have just saved myself £50 a month that helps me to doze off with a smile on my face.

 

[Lenny HB]

Had a free 6, week trial came from a Lidl cereal packet, only read one or two mags. Prefer reading on my Kindle.

 

[whingyraindrop]

I love Readly. Along with Spotify, I use it a lot. The craft, music and cookery magazines are great for me.
I love that the search function enables me to search every magazine, as well as all previous issues.
Magazines can also be downloaded and read when off line and there isn’t a contract, you can cancel at anytime.

 

[orridge]

Readly is good value for the content, however a lot of the mainstream publications you can get via your local library using the Libby App.

 

[Spriddler]

I have just saved myself £50 a month ......

I can't remember the last time I bought, read or viewed online a newspaper or magazine. It must have been 15 years ago. The ones I've seen in the dentist's waiting room have been 75% adverts or advertorial.

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